Soul singer Anthony Hamilton wants you to see another side of him. Known for his ballads, typified by “Charlene” from his 2003 debut album, Comin’ From Where I’m From, the Charlotte-born singer seeks to broaden his sound (and audience) on his upcoming project. For his fifth album, Back to Love, due on December 13, he told Billboard.com “I don’t always want to be known as the sad cat…I’m ready to have some fun.”
And fun is exactly what he’s having. The first single, “Woo,” pairs him with Babyface, who co-wrote and co-produced the uptempo song. “Having children gives you a new perspective, another burst of energy,” the father of five said, “Back to Love stems from that energy as well as from that of RCA’s new team. And I’d always wanted to work with Babyface; we had a ball. Everybody is excited about taking things to the next level.” That next level involves pairing Hamilton’s distinctive, old-school voice with more mainstream backing tracks in hopes of expanding his audience.
But fans shouldn’t worry about losing the music they know and love. “He’s expanded his sound, stepping outside of what he’s been doing,” says Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell, vice president of urban marketing at Hamilton’s label, RCA. “But he wasn’t turned into something he’s not. This record just brings out something we haven’t heard before.”
You can preorder the album now. Tell us what you think when it’s released next week.
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